The Cosy Canal Boat Dream: A funny, feel-good romantic comedy you won’t be able to put down!

‘What’s his name?’

‘Sam,’ Guy replied, and began to shout the dog’s name and rattle his lead.

Speedily, they carried on walking along the path, ‘So I take it you aren’t from around these parts, then?’

‘With an accent like this?’ he laughed. ‘No, it’s my brother who owns the boatyard here. I’m helping him out for a while.’

‘Ed’s your brother?’ Nell said astounded.

‘He is indeed.’

‘Ahh, you’re helping him out because of his operation?’

‘Yes, he’s laid up for six weeks after a hernia operation, so I offered to come and give him a hand at the boatyard he’s always raving on about.’

Ed had owned the boatyard at the marina for as long as Ollie and Nell had moored the ‘Nollie’ there. He seemed a little older than Guy and, as far as Nell was aware he had no wife or children. He was always a happy-go-lucky fellow, nothing was ever too much trouble. During the past year, Nell had often noticed his light on in the boat shed until the early hours of the morning when she couldn’t sleep. He was always beavering away, restoring and painting boats and was well thought of at the marina.

‘What do you think about the place so far?’ Nell asked, while Guy carried on beckoning for Sam in between chatting to her.

‘I can see the attraction,’ he snagged her eye and she didn’t know why but she felt herself instantly blush. He paused for a second, ‘Ed was always what my mum would call a tinkerer. Always up to his armpits in grease and oil.’

‘Just like my Ollie.’

‘Ollie?’

‘My husband,’ she answered, traipsing alongside Guy. ‘Was my husband,’ she exhaled.

‘Was?’ Guy commented, not making eye contact but looking up ahead for Sam. ‘Divorced?’

‘Widowed. He passed away. In fact it’s his birthday today.’

Immediately Guy stopped in his tracks and swung towards her. ‘I don’t know what to say. Are you okay?’ he asked kindly.

Nell offered him a warm smile, ‘What can you say? Life was difficult for a while but it’s becoming more bearable. I’m getting there, as they say.’

‘What happened? Do you mind me asking?’

Nell shook her head, ‘Ollie was involved in a motorbike accident, and eventually his life-support machine was switched off and you know what?’ she touched his elbow, ‘This is the first time I’ve spoken about it without bursting into tears.’

‘It sounds like it’s been a very difficult time for you.’

They carried on walking in silence before stopping a little further up and leaning against an old rickety fence. The pair of them stared at the stunning scenery. The fields stretched for miles and miles.

In the last twenty minutes or so the temperature had dropped dramatically and Nell shivered.

‘It looks like it’s threatening snow,’ said Nell, ‘Let’s hope we find Sam soon.

Guy nodded, ‘You’re cold,’ he said, ruffling a hand through his hair before slipping off his scarf and handing it to her.

‘Thanks,’ she replied, wrapping it tightly around her neck. ‘It doesn’t look like he’s come this way. Let’s head back towards the marina.’

They both turned around and began to quickly walk back up the path, ‘I can’t help but ask,’ she said, curiosity getting the better of her, ‘about your accent.’

‘Irish.’

She nodded, ‘Ed doesn’t have an Irish accent.’

‘That’s very true. We have different fathers. He’s ten years older than me. My mum and his dad split up years ago and then she met my father, Niall.’

‘Whose name sounds very Irish!’

‘Yep, hence the accent. Ed moved across here some time ago after meeting a girl at work. She was on a short-term contract at a firm he used to be employed at over in Ireland, but she was from around these parts and when her contract was up, she moved back home and he followed her.’

‘I didn’t even know Ed had a girlfriend.’

‘He doesn’t now. They split up a couple of months later, but he liked the place that much he never came home and has been here ever since.’

‘What about you?’

‘Me?’

‘Yes, have you got any family of your own?’

His eyes seemed to harden for a moment, ‘Only my dog, who seems to have done a complete runner on me.’

‘Don’t worry, he can’t have gone far, we’ll find him.’

They hurried back towards the marina and the whole place looked deserted on this cold grey day except for a van parked up at the far end of the towpath. Then, out of the blue, all they could hear was a sudden continuous banging that seemed to echo all around them.

‘What’s that noise?’ Nell asked, glancing up the wharf.

‘That man over there. He’s hammering a sign on to the front of that building.’

She squinted ahead to see the man throw his tools into the back of the van, start the engine and drive off.

‘What’s that place?’ Guy asked as they carried on walking towards it.

Nell paused outside the building and a small wave of sadness washed over her. She was rooted to the spot and stared up at the sign. ‘For Sale,’ she murmured despondently.

‘It looks like it’s been empty for a while. Shame, it looks like it was a beautiful building.’

Nell had forgotten how much she adored this place. Some of her favourite memories were made right there, inside that building.

‘It was. It’s the Old Picture House.’

‘Picture house?’

She nodded, ‘A cinema with a difference. In it’s heyday, on a Friday night, it used to be packed to the rafters. It really was the place to go. Ollie and me had our very first date there, must be over twelve years ago now, and when I was a kid I’d spend my Sunday mornings here with my dad watching films. This place was the heart of the community for years.’